Rapid City, South Dakota · field elev 3,204 ft
Density Altitude at Rapid City Regional (KRAP)
From a field elevation of 3,204 ft, a typical July afternoon at Rapid City Regional (86 °F) raises density altitude to about 5,665 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.3 | 1,645 ft | 36.0 | 2,450 ft |
| February | 26.1 | 1,770 ft | 38.1 | 2,592 ft |
| March | 35.4 | 2,409 ft | 48.2 | 3,264 ft |
| April | 43.9 | 2,980 ft | 56.6 | 3,811 ft |
| May | 54.1 | 3,649 ft | 66.5 | 4,441 ft |
| June | 64.6 | 4,321 ft | 77.6 | 5,131 ft ▲ |
| July | 72.4 | 4,810 ft | 86.4 | 5,665 ft ▲ |
| August | 70.8 | 4,710 ft | 85.4 | 5,605 ft ▲ |
| September | 61.3 | 4,112 ft | 76.1 | 5,039 ft ▲ |
| October | 47.1 | 3,192 ft | 60.4 | 4,054 ft |
| November | 34.6 | 2,355 ft | 47.3 | 3,205 ft |
| December | 25.6 | 1,736 ft | 37.2 | 2,531 ft |
▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.
Run today’s numbers for KRAP
DENSITY ALTITUDE caution
Field elevation 3,204 ft — the air behaves like 5,641 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 3,206 ft
- ISA DEVIATION
- —
- RULE-OF-THUMB DA
- —
- AIR DENSITY INDEX
- —
- AIR DENSITY
- —
- WATER · GRAINS/LB
- —
For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment
Nearby South Dakota fields
- 49B — Sturgis Municipal
Sturgis · elev 3,255 ft
- KCUT — Custer County
Custer · elev 5,620 ft
- 6V4 — Wall Municipal
Wall · elev 2,813 ft
- KSPF — Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field
Spearfish · elev 3,933 ft
- KHSR — Hot Springs Municipal
Hot Springs · elev 3,150 ft
- KEFC — Belle Fourche Municipal
Belle Fourche · elev 3,191 ft
- 6V0 — Edgemont Municipal
Edgemont · elev 3,594 ft
- KPHP — Philip
Philip · elev 2,209 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KRAP in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 86 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Rapid City Regional reaches roughly 5,665 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.
What is the density altitude at KRAP on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 1,645 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 4,810 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 3,204 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Rapid City Regional?
3,204 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KRAP (ICAO) / RAP (FAA), in Rapid City, South Dakota.